Sistah Space
UK charity
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sistah Space is a London-based domestic violence charity[1] that provides specialist services to women of African and Caribbean heritage.[2]
| |
| Formation | 2015 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Ngozi Fulani |
| Legal status | Charity |
| Purpose | Domestic violence support |
| Headquarters | Hackney, London, UK |
| Website | www |
History
Sistah Space was founded by Ngozi Fulani in 2015, following the 2014 murder of Valerie Forde and her daughter.[2][3][4] Sistah Space is "community-based nonprofit initiative created to bridge the gap in domestic abuse services for African heritage women and girls"[5] Sistah Space operated from a retail location in Lower Clapton, switching to accommodation on Mare Street, Hackney provided by Hackney Council in December 2019.[2][1]
In 2020, the organisation complained about tweets sent by Philip Glanville.[1] In the same year, the organisation entered into a dispute with Hackney Council over premises in Clapton supplied under a voluntary sector lease, which it said were unsafe.[6] Sistah Space subsequently changed its location.[6] The following year, the organisation suggested sensitivity training for police to improve their support for black women who have experienced domestic violence.[7] In August 2022, they were denied permission to have a float at the Hackney Carnival.[8]
The charity attracted attention in November 2022 when its founder, Fulani, alleged that she had been subject to racist questioning by Lady Susan Hussey, a royal staff member, at a Buckingham Palace function.[9][10] Both ladies later met and Lady Susan Hussey apologised for the comments she had made and any distress they had caused.[11]
In December 2022, the charity stopped much of its work and made a statement on Instagram that online abuse and safety concerns caused the decision.[12] The same month, reports stated that the Charity Commission and the London Assembly were making preliminary investigations into the running of Sistah Space, following a series of more than 200 posts by an anonymous Twitter user questioning the charity's finances and organisation.[13][14]
The Charity Commission subsequently said "We have carefully reviewed and assessed concerns raised about Sistah Space, and, as a result, have written to the trustees,' and provided advice about preparing and filing annual accounts and managing conflicts of interest.[15] Some commentators felt the Charity Commission was being mis-used, with writer Nels Abbey suggesting the investigation was evidence of an agenda to keep black-led charities in their place.[16]
In May 2024, the charity's founder was seen supporting Diane Abbott at a rally, at Hackney Town Hall.[17]
In 2025, Sistah Space launched a £350,000 fundraising campaign in order to open the first UK refuge for Black women and children in a building and on land already bought by the charity.[18]